Walker, William (b.1878 - d.1918)

Relating to the First World War service of 5217 Private William Walker, 6 Battalion. Telegram from Administrative Headquarters AIF London to 5859 Gunner E J Barnett, Weymouth, dated 16 March 1919. It states that Pte William Walker was found drowned in the Bristol Channel on 20 December 1918, and that he was buried in Arnos Vale Cemetary, Bristol.

William Walker was born at Tolarna Station in the River Darling region of New South Wales in 1878. His parents were George and Martha Walker. Walker was working as a labourer when he enlisted in the AIF on 1 February 1916 in Midura, Victoria.
He embarked per HMAT Suffolk from Melbourne on 1 April 1916 for service abroad. He then disembarked at Plymouth on 12 June that year. Following training in England, he marched in to join 6 Battalion in the field in France on 15 September 1916. The battalion spent that winter in the Somme.
In 1917, the battalion participated in operations that followed-up the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. On 25 March 1917, Walker was sent to hospital with abrasions to the toe. He rejoined his unit on 21 April 1917. The battalion returned to Belgium to join the great offensive launched to the east of Ypres, and participated in the battle of Menin Road in September that year.
Walker was wounded in action on 4 October 1917. With a gun shot wound to the lower thigh, he received hospital treatment in France. He rejoined his unit on 1 December 1917.
In March and April 1918 the battalion helped stop the German spring offensive and later participated in the Allies' own offensive, launched near Amiens on 8 August 1918. That advance by British and empire troops was the greatest success in a single day on the Western Front, one that German General Erich Ludendorff described as 'the black day of the German Army in this war'.
Walker was further injured and received a gun shot wound to the chest on 23 August 1918. He was transferred to England on 16 September, and was admitted to 2nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol the next day.
In early December, while convalescing in Bristol, Walker went out for a constitutional walk near the floating harbour, and tragically drowned. [His body was recovered on 11 December, not in fact 20 December stated in the PR04811 letter.] His funeral service on 27 December was attended by members of the AIF, as well as sisters and comrades of Beaufort War Hospital who sent wreaths to adorn the casket. Walker was 39 years old.